1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel method and composition for treating diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertriglyceridemia, and obesity. In particular, the present invention relates to the treatment of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertriglyceridemia and obesity by delivering specific naturally occurring compounds to the lower gut or rectally.
2. Description of Related Art
Diabetes mellitus is a worldwide health threat of increasing magnitude, and is considered a major health risk both in developed and in developing countries. Type II diabetes accounts for the vast majority of the cases involving diabetes and accounts suggest it is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. It appears that the major contributing factor to the incidence of Type II diabetes is being overweight. In the United States alone, it is estimated that over 17.6 million individuals suffer from diabetes, and it is estimated that an additional 5.7 million individuals are unaware they have diabetes. In addition, there are about 57 million Americans who are considered pre-diabetic.
Type II diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. It generally manifests itself as an inability to adequately regulate blood-glucose levels. This is as opposed to Type I diabetes which is characterized by defects in pancreatic production of insulin. In other words, it appears that Type II sufferers suffer from too little insulin or insulin resistance. The factors that have been identified in contributing to these Type II factors include one or more of obesity, genetic background, age, diet, and blood chemistry. Type II is frequently called adult onset but because diet is a factor, it can arise at virtually any age.
The results of diabetes Type II cause glucose levels to rise in the blood and urine which in turn can cause hunger, urination, thirst and metabolism related issues. If the condition is not treated, the most common serious results include heart, disease, kidney disease, and blindness. Several treatments are currently being used. Because obesity is frequently a causal agent in diabetes, diet and exercise are usually a front line defense. Therapeutic agents are also used as a second line of defense, including use of insulin or pharmaceuticals that reduce blood and urine levels of glucose.
Several drugs are in current use for diabetes Type II, including insulin secretagogues, glucose lowering effectors, GLP-1 analogs, DPPIV, activators of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Because these current treatments have several problems associated with them, there is still a need for alternative therapies to treat type II diabetes.
Gut hormones are a type of gastrointestinal hormone that, among others, cause an increase in the amount of insulin released from the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans after eating, even before blood glucose levels become elevated. They are secreted in their highest level from L-cells in the colon. They also slow the rate of absorption of nutrients into the blood stream by reducing gastric emptying and may directly reduce food intake. They also inhibit glucagon release from the alpha cells of the Islets of Langerhans. Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is frequently called an incretin, is a gut hormone secreted by L cells. Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) (an incretin) has been identified as one composition that if its secretion is stimulated can possibly be used to treat diabetes.
GLP-1 is a peptide secreted from enteroendocine L cells, and has a wide variety of physiological effects that have been described in numerous publications over the past two decades. More recently, much research has been focused on the use of GLP-1 in the treatment of conditions and disorders, such as diabetes mellitus, stress, obesity, appetite control and satiety, Alzheimer's, inflammation, and diseases of the central nervous system. However, the use of a peptide in clinical treatment is severely limited due to difficult administration, and in vivo stability. Therefore, a small molecule that either mimicked the effects of GLP-1 directly, or increased GLP-1 secretion, has been thought to be the treatment of choice in increasing incretin production in treatment of the variety of conditions or disorders described above, namely diabetes mellitus and obesity.
PYY is a gut hormone (Peptide YY) which is a short (36 amino acid) protein released by cells in the ileum and colon in response to feeding. In humans, it appears to reduce appetite. PYY is found in L-cells in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal trace especially in the ileum and colon. There is also a small amount of PYY about 1-10 percent in the esophagus, the stomach, the duodenum, and jejunum. PYY concentration in the circulation increases postprandially (after food ingestion) and decreases by fasting.
GLP-2 (a gut hormone) is a 33 amino acid peptide, co-secreted along with GLP-1 from intestinal endocrine cells in the small and large intestine. GLP-2, among others, stimulates mucosal growth in the small and large intestine, inhibits gastric emptying, and gastric acid secretion, reduces intestinal permeability, and stimulates intestinal blood flow.
Oxyntomodulin (a gut hormone) is a 37 amino acid peptide co-secreted along with GLP-1 from L-cells that mimics the effects of GLP-1 and GLP-2 on gastric acid secretion and gut motility, suppresses appetite and reduces food intake in normal humans and reduces energy intake by ˜17%, in overweight and obese human subjects with no effect on water intake.
Butyric acid is a naturally occurring fatty acid occurring in the form of esters in animal fats and plant oils. For example, the triglyceride of butyric acid makes up 3% to 4% of butter. It is found in rancid foods, such as butter and cheese, and has a very unpleasant smell and taste. It is an important member of the fatty acid sub-group called the short chain fatty acids.
Bile acids (also known as bile salts) are steroid acids found predominantly in the bile of mammals. In humans, taurocholic acid and glycocholic acid (derivatives of cholic acid) represent approximately eighty percent of all bile acids. The two major bile acids are cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid. They, their conjugates, and their 7-alpha-dehydroxylated derivatives are all found in human intestinal bile. An increase in bile flow is exhibited with an increased secretion of bile acids. Bile acid's main function is to facilitate the formation of micelles, which promotes dietary fat processing. Bile salts constitute a large family of molecules, composed of a steroid structure with four rings, a five, or eight carbon side-chain terminating in a carboxylic acid, and the presence and orientation of different numbers of hydroxyl groups. The four rings are labeled from left to right (as commonly drawn) A, B, C, and D, with the D-ring being smaller by one carbon than the other three. The hydroxyl groups have a choice of being in 2 positions, either up (or out) termed beta (often drawn by convention as a solid line), or down, termed alpha (seen as a dashed line in drawings). All bile acids have a hydroxyl group on position 3, which was derived from the parent molecule, cholesterol. In cholesterol, the 4 steroid rings are flat and the position of the 3-hydroxyl is beta.
Long chain fatty acids (LCFA) are fatty acids with aliphatic tails of 16 carbons or more. Fatty acids are aliphatic monocarboxylic acids, derived from, or contained in esterified form in an animal or vegetable fat, oil, or wax. Natural fatty acids commonly have a chain of 4 to 28 carbons (usually unbranched and even numbered), which may be saturated or unsaturated.
Glutamine is an amino acid that is used as a nutritional supplement in the treatment of a variety of diseases, including cancer. Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the human body and, in addition to its role as a component of protein, serves a variety of functions in the body. It is a non-essential amino acid because it is made by body cells. In addition, most dietary protein contains ample amounts of glutamine, and healthy people usually obtain all the additional glutamine that they need in their diet.
A number of new approaches to stimulation of the receptors which appear to stimulate gut hormones, such as the GPR 120, TGR5, GPR 41, and GPR 43 receptors are being tried. In patent applications: WO/2008/067219 published Jun. 5, 2008; US2007/060759 published Nov. 8, 2007; JP2006-630 4A published Mar. 9, 2006; and JP 2006-56881 A published Mar. 2, 2006; there are disclosed several classes of small molecules agonists that have been designed to stimulate the TGR5 receptor, a bile acid G-protein-coupled receptor.
The above naturally occurring products are difficult to administer orally with the colon being the target for pharmacological action, especially because taste of these products is extremely unpalatable, and they are easily degraded in the digestive tract and/or absorbed.
Obesity is a medical condition that is reaching epidemic proportions among humans in a number of countries throughout the world. It is a condition that is also associated with, or induces other diseases or conditions that disrupt life's activities and lifestyles. Obesity is recognized as a serious risk factor for other diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and arteriosclerosis, and can contribute to elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood. It is also recognized that increased body weight due to obesity can place a burden on joints, such as knee joints, causing arthritis, pain, and stiffness. Obesity can contribute to certain skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis and bed sores. Because overeating and obesity have become such a problem in the general population, many individuals are now interested in losing weight, reducing weight, and/or maintaining a healthy body weight and lifestyle.
Hypertriglyceridemia (hTG) is a common disorder in the United States. The condition is exacerbated by uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, obesity, and sedentary habits, all of which are more prevalent in industrialized societies, particularly the United States, than in developing nations. In both epidemiologic and interventional studies, hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Treatment of hypertriglyceridemia is by restriction of carbohydrates and fats in the diet, as well as with niacin, fibrates and statins (three classes of drugs). Increased fish oil intake may substantially lower an individual's triglycerides.
There are obviously a number of compositions designed to deliver a medicament to the lower gut. One in particular are the three-component matrix structures, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,943 to Villa et al. issued Oct. 7, 2008 and incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
A number of different formulations are available for delivery of desired compositions to the colon including amylose coated tablets, enterically coated chitosan tablets, matrix within matrix or multimatrix systems, or poly-saccaride coated tablets. One example of multimatrix controlled release systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,943 issued Oct. 7, 2008 to Villa et al. and incorporated herein by reference. Disclosed is a matrix within matrix design wherein a lipophilic phase and amphiphilic phase are incorporated within the inner matrix and at least a portion of the active ingredient is incorporated into the amphiphilic phase.